


Beast Skins

by ObtuseOctopus



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Human, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blood and Torture, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Established Relationship, F/F, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Illustrations, Kaiju, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Pregnancy, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship, Sex, Unplanned Pregnancy, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:26:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25542820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObtuseOctopus/pseuds/ObtuseOctopus
Summary: • Rating is due to the intensity of some future scenes, gore, some sexy times, cursing, and nudity. I highly recommend this is only for 18+ audiences since this leans NSFW with the content. Think Love, Death + Robots for reference on what to expect. •Set in the future where you’ve got almost everything but flying cars, one of the best forms of entertainment are genetically modified beasts known as Kaijus that brawl in live stadiums. It’s not always so grand and fun, however, especially for the Kaijus in the fighting systems. Poachers pay hefty prices for Kaiju leather and hides or bones, those who oppose the fights or want Kaiju to be free protest on the streets, and other people such as the government or military are always open to trying to carve a Kaiju into a war weapon.Lapis, former Kaiju fighter, has been taking it slow and easy since she won a fair share of money. Sharing a home in the grand city Delmarva with her new girlfriend, Peridot Rycloze, she thought that the mess was over with. That is, until she stumbles upon a runaway Kaiju named Steven who warns her that things aren’t over yet.
Relationships: Jasper/Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 76





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> // This was another random idea I wrote out. Basically a futuristic setting (set in 4017), where industrialization is heavily prominent and the age of robotics has taken flight.  
> Some Jaspis in the beginning but gradually leans toward Lapidot.
> 
> • 18+ warning for this chapter due to the middle part. There’s some Sims whoohoo activity, a bit of violence, and slight nudity.

The Ring is the only place where Kaiju are safe to reveal their true forms. Though tainted with blood, and always filled with people who have a fetish for gore and violence, the Ring was one of the only ways a Kaiju could provide for themselves. Winners went home with grand prize money, but the cost was that the loser… often got killed. Their pelts or scales would get put into the black market, their eyeballs used for glue, or their teeth and nails used as material for weapon making. 

Kaiju were man made giants originally made for war. But man cannot contain what they can’t control. Feral beasts bit the hand of their own creators when they got fed up, knowing they were stronger than armies combined. They escaped, some lucky, some unfortunate, and through years of evolution, found themselves able to transform into a form that could blend in among their human peers.

Cities industrialized, technology advanced, man made creations that turned homes into all in one provided easy life. Towns and cities became places of heavy factory usage, transportation, and manipulation. What happens behind closed doors if you’re quiet enough goes undetected.

It is why the Ring hails as illegal underground fights for Kaiju- safe havens for creatures that are seen as threats and cash grabs. There are few in the world, and one hasn’t been seen in years today, but if you blink, if you don’t know where to find the Ring, you might lose sight of one.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone outside the binary- we present to you, THE WATER WITCH!”

Kaiju were granted cloaks when they entered the arena to conceal their human identities for further measure. It masked their faces and their bodies, their fingerprints safe as all Kaiju lacked them. A girl wearing a dark blue cloak walked through the hall that led to the Ring, passing by a mirror to reveal the reflection of the blue beast underneath. She stepped out onto a platform after she threw on the hood of her cloak, and it brought her out into the Ring.

The crowd waiting for their fight tonight was already riled up; they hollered and whooped, placing bets and making wager agreements. The girl was unfazed.

“A new Kaiju to the Ring this one is, facing the Ring champion of twenty five years, QUARTZ!” The announcer hollered, the crowd becoming louder.

From the other side of the Ring, a larger human had made themselves known, flexing an arm on their platform and earning paparazzi.

“Will this newcomer be able to put an end to our champion’s winning streak?! Or will this Kaiju become another victim?! Hope you’re ready with those bets and waiting eyes, because BEASTS OUT, READY!”

The girl ripped off her cloak just as she began to transform, her body increasing in size and length. Blue scales ripped out of her skin, a sail emerging along her spine. Her teeth multiplied in number, hands bursting into claws with webbed talons. She was like a water serpent, her eyes glazed white. A pair of tendrils similar to water whiskers hung beneath her chin and behind the tip of her snout.

Her opponent did the same, but they emerged into an orange quadruped monster with no eyes and turquoise bull horns. Bloody red stripes seared across their tough skin, and a mane of long beige fur burst from their neck, running down their back to then form a tail between their back legs. They paced the Ring, making several grunts and roars to attempt to intimidate.

But the newcomer didn’t react. 

Her opponent noticed this rather fast. _“Aren’t you afraid of me, runt?”_ Her opponent telepathically demanded. Kaiju communicated mainly with body language in their true states, but also in languages they learned from humans with their minds. It came in handy when they couldn’t let humans hear their secret.

_“Afraid of dying, sure,”_ the newcomer retaliated. _“But not of you.”_ She opened her jaws, emitting an echoing shriek that surprised the crowd, a frill that had been hiding along her neck puffing out to full length _“My name is Lapis. Lapis Lazuli. Remember that. Because it’ll be the only time you’ll hear it.”_

_“Then you better hear my name before I kill you.”_

_“And that is?”_ The serpent whipped her head back, her claws digging into the dirt.

“FIGHT!” The announcer rang the bell.

Her opponent barreled into her immediately, holding her against the wall of the Ring with their horns. But, Lapis had other plans. She easily spiraled out of her opponent's hold, snaking away and scaling the wall.

_“BRAT-!”_ Her opponent huffed angrily.

The crowd cheered.

_“What did you say your name was?”_ Lapis mocked. She flung herself at her enemy, wrapping herself around the other Kaiju. 

Her opponent stood up, clawing at her. The orange Kaiju went on to bodyslam her, earning a pained hiss from Lapis.

_“My name is Jasper. Remember that for it’ll be your last!”_ Her opponent started crushing her.

Lapis snarled. She opened her mouth, spitting boiling water at the other. Jasper howled, stepping back. The crowd whistled.

_“What are you?!”_ Jasper shook the water off, fresh burns scathing her arms.

_“I’m Lapis Lazuli_ ,” Lapis smart-assed. Jasper grabbed her snout, flinging her across the Ring. From there, she grabbed her again, beginning to pull her jaw apart.

_“It’s over,”_ Jasper laughed. 

_“Not… yet…”_ A pair of water wings emerged from Lapis, sending Jasper flying off her as they opened up. _“I’m not like most Kaiju.”_

Some of the crowd was in wonder at the sight.

Water surged at Jasper. It collected itself into the form of chains, which wrapped around Jasper’s legs. 

Jasper fought back, her attempts to break free proving futile. The chains became icy shards which stabbed into her skin, forcing Jasper to yell in agony. Blood seeped from her wounds, staining the dirt and creating clumps with the mixture. She wasn’t used to these sorts of attacks- granted, her tough, thick skin usually deflected most attacks. For something to pierce her, it was rare.

The spiked chains lifted Jasper up. The crowd backed up as the Kaiju was slammed into the dirt, sending dust clouds spiraling. Chains encased Jasper’s snout, squeezing her legs tighter. It was over. Lapis surged forward. She held her opponent’s fluffy neck up in her jaws, watching the crowd's reactions. Some looked stunned, others disappointed, but most cheered her on.

“Let’s see if Quartz can get back up, folks, otherwise we have ourselves a new champion!”

_“H… how…”_ Jasper gnashed her teeth. Blood continued to drip from her injuries. Lapis bit into Jasper’s neck, although not enough to puncture her arteries or cause any other major damage.

“FIVE, FOUR-!”

_“I get to choose your fate,”_ Lapis said as she roared her victory, the pitch of her scream high enough to startle glass. She released the other beast, and Jasper collapsed into the dirt. She tried to get back at Lapis, only for her head to be forced into the ground by Lapis’ talons.

“TWO! ONE! WIIIIINNNERRRR!”

_“Get it over with like most Kaiju. Kill me off, you stubborn bitch,”_ Jasper sighed, her pride deflated. _“You won.”_

Lapis didn’t say anything. She looked at the announcer.

“AND THE FATE OF OUR POOR CHAMPION?” The announcer asked Lapis. “Water Witch, what’s your verdict?!”

Lapis sneered, showing her teeth. She slowly brought her jaws down, the crowd thinking she would end it permanently, but then Lapis stopped.

_“... I choose mercy.”_ Lapis shocked Jasper. The serpent Kaiju pulled away, licking a wound on her own arm before she turned away.

The crowd had mixed reactions.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


When Kaijus retired to their sleeping quarters after a victory or to prepare for an upcoming battle, they went behind the Ring into another underground compartment. Each Kaiju had their own room setup much like a simple hotel room, with a bed and a fridge complete with air conditioning and a heater as well as a bathroom and kitchen. After all, humans needed to keep their participants alive, and to assure this they treated the Kaiju not like royalty, but like mere lower class with the bare necessities. Kaiju were sensitive to temperatures and even weather. They had to account for any special care for some Kaiju too. And of course, all Kaiju human appearances remained a mystery, as the sleeping quarters were off limits to ordinary humans.

Jasper angrily stormed towards Lapis’ room in the Kaiju keep, knocking on the door. “Lapis Lazuli,” she said with a cold tone. She brushed back her ginger hair that ran down to her knees, wearing gray sweatpants and a blood orange shirt. Her wounds were patched with bandages.

Lapis answered a few seconds after. She opened the door, picking at a scratch on her arm from the fight. Her hair was short and dark blue like the sail of her beast form, her skin pale to reflect the pale blue of her scales. Her eyes did not fail to impress- a royal blue like peacock down, and the same color as her skirt and halter top. “Oh. It’s _you.”_

“You _humiliated_ me,” Jasper hissed, gradually approaching Lapis. She easily towered over her in human form.

“I _spared_ you,” Lapis corrected. “You would’ve died either way.” She stepped back, willingly letting the other into her domain. Jasper was going to come in whether she liked it or not based on how firm the human Kaiju was standing, and she decided not to tamper with an exploding attitude.

“I lost to a Kaiju who had never been in the Ring before while I’ve been in there for _years_. Hardly any Kaiju spares another. I would’ve rather died an honorable death than be known as a coward.” Jasper met Lapis eye to eye, her pupils like slits. 

“An honorable death, or a rare opportunity?” Lapis proposed. “You can be whatever winner you want to be. But you still lost to me. And I give you this chance to start again. I gave you _mercy._ I gave you life when anybody else would’ve killed you. That takes self restraint. That takes _strength_.”

Jasper grimaced. Then, she reluctantly bowed her head once she hesitantly accepted what Lapis had said. “... I respect your tactics. You are more powerful than I am.”

Lapis smiled, laying a hand on Jasper’s cheek as the human Kaiju stood in front of her. “Yeah. I am.” She brushed away some dirt and dust that had gathered on the Kaiju’s face during the battle, her touch gentle and never as fierce as she had been in the Ring. 

Jasper shivered. Something as strong as Lapis somehow could also be so frail. She was confused by this, afraid even. Yet, it also excited her. 

The two kept their locked gazes for a moment longer. When it at last came to an end, Jasper slowly moved Lapis back against the small bed in her room, hungrily meeting lips. Lapis didn’t push her away. Instead, she welcomed it, her arms moving up to rest her hands on Jasper’s shoulders. 

Jasper pinned Lapis down, her belly shedding away its human skin to reveal the tough Kaiju plates she bore. In the midst of her spiking hormonal drive, she was facing an in between with her human and true form, her teeth lengthening to become daggers. She tore her sweatpants off once her nails sharply toughened, the scent of Lapis overwhelming her nostrils. 

“... Impatient,” Lapis mocked, watching her. 

“You’re doing this to me,” Jasper growled back at her, nestling her nostrils closer to Lapis’ neck. “You smell… good.”

“Obviously.” Lapis suddenly whipped around, turning the tables as she flipped Jasper over with ease. “I was made for the sea.” The sides of her neck seemed to slightly inflate before gill lines popped out of her skin, flaring for a second then easing back down against her neck. 

“Where were you made?” Jasper questioned, intensely watching as Lapis shimmied out of her skirt.

“Aquadrics,” Lapis responded. “North of the Bay Area. They were inspired by an aquatic Lung dragon.”

“Kindergarten,” Jasper replied with the name of her creation lab. “It’s more inland.” She calmed down when Lapis leaned over, the smell of an ocean breeze wafting over her nose again. “I guess I can see why you had those pathetic water tricks now. You were created with those in mind.”

“Do you have any idea what will happen if we-?”

“Not at all.” Jasper grinned, showing off her fangs. “Which makes it more enticing. I can smell that you're fertile. You’re driving me crazy.”

“And I can smell that you’re an asshole,” Lapis teased, removing her undergarments. 

“Can you actually swim?” Jasper questioned, although more interested in what Lapis was currently doing.

“When I’m fully or partly transformed, yeah.” 

“How do you do it?”

Lapis shrugged. “Gliding, but… in the water I guess.” She removed Jasper’s underwear, sitting herself on top of the revealed phallus. “Want me to show you?” She seductively offered.

Jasper nodded, prompting Lapis to adjust her position until she managed to slide Jasper’s tip inside herself, then she slowly sank down. She held herself up by planting her hands upon Jasper’s chest, proceeding to buck her hips until she was riding Jasper, light moans filling the room.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Rain was one of the few things that reminded Lapis of the ocean when she was far away. The petrichor, rich with the scent of dirt and grasses always seemed to tease her into transforming, but Lapis knew to remain locked in her human appearance among city folk. 

“... - Eight fifty grand for a Kaiju. Final offer,” a man spoke not too far from where Lapis was walking through the street market. Lapis tensed, her sense of hearing never failing her. She listened for a moment longer, a bit disappointed when the conversation she had picked up on didn’t continue. So, she resumed walking, browsing through the fruits and meats being sold by people. Her prize money from the fight last week meant a lot, as she could buy food out here or a better place to live if she wanted. Only question was if she did want to stay here or move to the next city.

Lapis checked some lamb chops being sold by a merchant. She grew envious of how fresh and bloody they looked, her kind more appealed to raw meat as food. But before she could ask for prices, a dog barking spooked her.

“Down, Charlie! Down!” The man from moments ago ordered his dog, who kept barking on his leash. “Charlie!” The dog growled, pointing in Lapis’ direction.

The man froze. He looked at Lapis. He chewed on the cigarette in his mouth, then he clicked with his tongue. “Get ‘em, boy.” He released his dog from the leash.

Lapis knew she had to run. She couldn’t fight, unless she wanted bigger attention. So she took off, getting a head start from the dog.

The dog resumed barking as it chased its prey, causing merchants and consumers to clear a path in order to avoid being run into.

“GET ‘EM, BOY! GET ‘EM!”

Lapis jumped over a carriage, nearby onlookers gasping in both confusion and bewilderment. The dog rolled underneath the carriage, refusing to give up the chase.

_I have to lose this damn thing_ , Lapis thought. _It can smell what I am._

Lapis knocked over as many carts or other obstacles as she could to hopefully throw off the dog. 

_How did this dog smell me through this rain?! Fuck!_ Lapis slipped on some stone slabs in the ground, rolling her body so that she could slide with the slabs, ending up on a lower level of the outdoor market. She fell into some crates of food at the bottom, where she got up and ran into the nearest alley. 

Lapis was going to see if the dog was still following until someone clamped a hand over her mouth. _Human._ Lapis could tell by the smell alone. A human was helping her get away from security. A _human_ unknowingly saved her life from being killed or worse. Lapis didn’t complain, letting the stranger guide her to a better hiding spot.

The human took Lapis to a place behind some carts and wagons, which led to a longer alleyway between two tall buildings. The human panted with exhaustion while Lapis waited to see if anybody followed.

“... Thanks,” Lapis said after a moment. “For… that.”

“No problem,” the blonde girl smiled. “I heard the dog so I looked up and then I saw you slip- gosh, security can be jerks sometimes. They never cross boundaries though when it comes to their patrol markers though. They might send someone in, so we will have to move super soon.”

“I hear that.” Lapis kept an eye out, focusing her hearing.

“Why were they chasing you?”

“I uh… tried to steal,” Lapis lied. If that dog came back and smelled her around again… it could be the end.

“Bah, greedy economy,” the girl grimaced. She toyed with the giant goggles on the bridge of her nose. “Are you poor? There’s food stamps and-“

“This is my first month here,” Lapis explained, and it was. She sought this city in particular for the Ring, and a new place to live. “I’m still… moving in.”

“Oh! Where are you from?”

“Rhode Isle,” Lapis answered. “It’s in-“

“- the Fifth State. That’s a pretty nice city. I would love to live there.” The girl offered a hand out to Lapis. “I’m Peridot. Peridot Rycloze, but you can just call me Peridot or Peri, or just Rycloze.”

“I’m… Lapis,” Lapis introduced herself, hesitantly. “Lapis Lazuli.” She shook Peridot’s hand. _And I’m a Kaiju, but that's not important._

“Nice to meet you, Lapis! Hey, I think you’ll like it here in Delmarva. It’s the biggest city in the Fourth State!” Peridot assured. 

“I know,” Lapis said.

“I have a place of my own if you wanna stay for a bit so the security lays off. Them clods… they once took someone in just for missing a month of their taxes.”

“That’s… oh,” Lapis was frightened by the information. If they took someone in just for a month of missing taxes, what would they do to a Kaiju?

“Yeah, it’s not really good. But Delmarva’s got a high minimum wage and lots of jobs, so it works out. I work in the animatronics department, I make replicas of animal life for people to buy if they can’t afford something that actually lives like rabbits or birds,” Peridot said.

“So you make... robots?” Lapis raised a brow.

“Yeah! Robots,” Peridot grinned toothily. “I’m working on the blueprints for a new brand of robot I call Robonoids. They’ll be able to help people do their chores around the house!”

“Sounds… great,” Lapis commented.

“Oh yeah it is! And once I release them, I’ll have to be promoted! My name will become famous among inventors!” Peridot gestured for Lapis to follow, taking a path through the city. “Come on, I’ll take you to my place for a while.”

Lapis felt at ease. Her eyes paled just for a second, shining a brilliant silver like half moons, before they returned to the deep blue that they were.

And it was with this newfound friend that Lapis would find an anchor of stability within Delmarva.


	2. Trusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luckily, Peridot isn’t a tattletale and is easy to befriend. ... Or become something more.

Some months had passed since that day in the Ring. Lapis lived with Peridot since, coming to trust the human to help her survive Delmarva in one piece. It took only a little bit for them to form a friendship, and one stronger bond after Lapis managed to request permanently living with the mechanic. As luck would have it, things ran smoothly. They got along like bread and butter, and Lapis made a good shopper always able to find the freshest foods as well as she made a good guard of the house while Peridot was working. Peridot let Lapis borrow some clothes, eventually getting her some of her own, which made Lapis feel more human.

Except, she wasn’t. Lapis knew she’d eventually have to tell Peridot about her secret. She started small, asking questions regarding Kaiju to see where Peridot stood on her opinions of them. When Peridot seemed alright to go a bit farther in discussing Kaiju, Lapis asked her about how she felt about them, morality, and if she considered Kaiju to be a monster or to be an ally. Peridot was intrigued, never scared, if anything, she mentioned that she would like to study an actual Kaiju one day. She didn’t see Kaiju as monsters or war weapons. She saw them more as experiments, man-made, and though it was true, Lapis had to try and convince her that they were more than that now. She had to if she was going to continue her life with this mechanic.

“Their molecular structure is… it’s beyond most technologies today!” Peridot gushed. “I had a coworker- Pearl?- I’ve picked up on a few things from her, but she isn’t as intelligent as I am. She wasn’t able to make a clone of an extinct animal and she’s the highest ranking one there in the office! I’ve riddled with creating a living creature a few times, but I’ve failed and it isn’t my thing.”

“They’re more than just creations,” Lapis said, watching Peridot drink her coffee as they sat at a table on the balcony of a local coffeehouse. “They’re _alive_.”

“With power!”

“And emotions.”

“Are you one of those Kaiju activists?”

Lapis bitterly bit her lip. “No. I’m just empathetic.”

“For a man-made animal?”

“Man-made or not, they’re alive now. And they didn’t ask to be alive, but here they are.” She stared at her water cup. “People like to think they always own or control something. How can you own what you can’t control? They’ve developed minds of their own. They’re beings.”

“Hm, for someone who says they aren’t an activist, you sure sound like one,” Peridot commented.

“All I’m saying is to have an open mind,” Lapis said. “And that you should be careful with what you bring into this world.”

It was later that same day that Lapis would ultimately put Peridot to the test.

“What would you do if you saw one?” Lapis stood behind Peridot, who was busy working on her creations. Often, the work was done in the lower garage, which was a large underground compartment full of materials and tables.

“Considering I’m shorter than the average woman, probably submit to my death,” Peridot shrugged. “What’s with you and Kaiju? You’ve been asking me so many questions about them.” She played with her goggles, accidentally smacking herself in the face with them as she did so. “Ow-“

“You’re smart. So how haven’t you thought about _why_ I’m asking you so many questions?” Lapis retaliated.

Peridot sat dumbfounded, putting down her tools. She stepped away from her unfinished animatronic. “Is this a test?” She guessed.

Lapis shook her head. “Promise me you won’t freak out,” she added.

Peridot held up her pinkie, then crossed her heart.

Lapis sighed. She knew this could have a good or bad outcome. But she trusted this human, and this human had also helped her… So, she made sure that she had space before she let her true form takeover in small slivers; her hair melting into a frill, her hands forming into clawed talons, and her teeth burst into needle-like jaws. Whiskers protruded from her chin and beside both sides of her nose. When she blinked, her eyes revealed pupils of pure lavender. She took a deep breath in, a bit afraid to see how Peridot would react. 

“... Do you see me?” Lapis croaked.

Peridot almost knocked over her chair. “Holy smokes… holy smokes…”

“Don’t freak out.”

“I’m not, I’m not-! I’m-... oh my gosh…” Peridot’s eyes never looked away.

“We’re not monsters. And we’re not experiments. We’re _alive.”_ Lapis lowered her head, bracing herself as if expecting Peridot to act brash.

Peridot’s mouth couldn’t close.

“You’re not freaking out. Right?” Lapis nervously smiled.

Peridot gulped. She trembled, both with fear and awe. She quickly shook her head.

“Good.” Lapis changed back to pure human, cracking her neck. “Because there’s something else I need to tell you. And I… will be vulnerable until this passes.” She lifted up her shirt. 

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  


“How is that even possible?!” Peridot furiously whispered. “Kaiju can’t-?! Do you-?” She blinked repeatedly. “Do you…?”

“Yes. We do,” Lapis scoffed. She sat on the edge of the building, overlooking the city. The top of Peridot’s home always fascinated her with this view. The air in her face and the moon in the sky…

Peridot gagged. “Oh god. Oh I don’t want to imagine that-“

“Most of us aren’t supposed to have any _parts,”_ Lapis went on. “Those of us who do were… meant to multiply later.”

Peridot sat down next to her. “Why can’t they just clone more?”

“Too much work. Too many uncertainties. Before I was made, they had at least eighty failed versions. I was lucky.” Lapis’ gaze moved to look at the ground. “Either what I said or our human forms gave us the ability to…”

“Okay… so who’s the…-?”

“A Kaiju from the Ring a while back. This is her territory. Her scent’s everywhere. I should’ve known,” Lapis frowned. “I’m guessing either she was made with ideas in mind later too or she somehow shapeshifted… either way, this is her land. I’m the only Kaiju to have survived fighting her. She was impressed. And I was available…”

“So you Kaiju have a system kind of like animals, right?” Peridot commented. “You have the dominant one taking a part of territory for themself and claiming all available females in the area.”

“I guess,” Lapis shrugged. “I’ve never heard of Kaiju reproducing before. Maybe once, but it died.” She tipped her head up to the sky, catching the smell of rain in the breeze. “It’s going to start raining soon.” She stood up, heading inside.

“You can smell- what’s next?! You can control the weather?!” Peridot gawked, following after her.

“Technically I can.” Lapis grinned. “Want to see me mess with a glass of water?”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


Their bond continued to strengthen. Peridot came to accept Lapis for who she truly was. She would ask questions about Kaiju from dawn to dusk, which sometimes drove Lapis mad. They never got into arguments though, nor did they bicker. Lapis would watch Peridot work, Peridot would never tell a soul about her secret… 

When the time neared for Lapis’ pregnancy to come to an end, Peridot brought Lapis down to the lower garage for a surprise. 

“Can I open now?” Lapis impatiently asked. 

“Almost!” Peridot kept her hands over Lapis’ eyes, leading her along. “Aaand… tada!”

Lapis opened her eyes as soon as Peridot removes her hands. She nearly choked. “Where did all your things-?” She stopped. “Is that a pool?”

“Saltwater, just like how you like it.”

“So you _do_ listen to the small stuff I mention,” Lapis teased.

“I’ve got an eye for detail,” Peridot bragged.

“How did you…?”

“I built it in my spare time, moved it in after cleaning this hunk of junk out, then filled it up with customized water,” Peridot explained. “Do you like it?”

“I… wow.” Lapis smiled. “This… thank you.”

“I don’t know how big you get when you pull your fancy-schmancy transforming thing, but you should be able to be down here fine where nobody can hear you either in case I have visitors. Hey! Maybe you can keep your baby down here too!”

“Huh. I could...” Lapis thought. She gave a mischievous smirk at Peridot. “Geek.” She gently hugged her. “Thank you.”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


At this point, Lapis staked most of her days in the renovated garage. She fully trusted Peridot, and the mechanic would sometimes bring her quick meals if she wasn’t in the mood to get up. Some nights, Peridot would sleep by the water close to her as she chose the pool to be her bed, and it was then that Lapis slowly started to catch on to the human’s own secret.

“... You like me,” Lapis accused, making herself known in the mechanic's workspace by sitting on top of her table facing towards her. 

Peridot dropped her carving tool, startled. “I- Huh?”

“Your heartbeat increases when you're near me.”

“YOU CAN HEAR THAT?!”

“Only when I’m hungry. Predatory instinct,” Lapis teased. “You’re blushing.”

“I don’t- HAH! Falling for a _Kaiju_ , that’s ridicu-“ Peridot immediately stopped talking when Lapis put her hands on her shoulders. “... lous…”

“You’re flustered.”

“I am NOT!”

“What if I kissed you?”

Peridot stammered. “This- this isn’t like… this technically isn’t like a weird animal-human relationship, is it? Because that would be weird, and-“

“I’m human when I want to be,” Lapis hummed. “And I can give consent, so what’s your deal?”

“You’re very infuriating,” Peridot said.

“Infuriating _girlfriend_ if you want me to be,” Lapis laughed. Peridot refused to make eye contact, prompting Lapis to reassure her, “If this is what you want, I’m fine with it. You’re cute yourself.” 

“No I’m not-“ Peridot denied, her face turning beet red. 

Lapis leaned in, kissing her cheek. “Yeah. You are.” She hopped off the table, leaving a very awestruck Peridot at her workstation. “Don’t worry. A human and a Kaiju? Nothing’s gonna bother us.”


	3. Brewing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peace doesn’t always last forever.
> 
> CW; Some violence/gore

**One year later**

  
  


Peridot ran into a corner much to her misfortune. She struggled to breathe, frantically checking left and right as if a new exit would present itself to her. She turned around, out of breath. Fear was evident in her system, making her shiver with uncertainty. This was the end… This was how she would die, at the hands of a Kaiju, all alone.

Peridot closed her eyes just as the beast closed in on her. Jaws gleaming with teeth eagerly clamped onto her leg. Peridot screamed. 

“Ow! Ow, come on, OW-!” Peridot tried to shake the small monster off of her. “Mal- OW! LAPIS!”

Lapis appeared a second later, wasting no time in pulling the tiny Kaiju off of Peridot. “Malaki, come on,” she coaxed. “Let go of her. You got her.”

Malaki, the newest addition to the household, was a small Kaiju about the size of a puppy with foam-green scaly skin. She was covered in darker stripes, had four white eyes, and a ragged mane of white fur covered her neck to down her spine, forming a tail like a fox. A small light blue sail stuck out of her back, and a pair of dark blue nubby horns protruded on either side of her head. She had hatched not that long ago after Lapis kept her egg in an incubator that Peridot specifically made for her, and the beast was already a handful. She had a ravenous appetite, as well as a horrible teething problem where she chased and hit everything around her.

“I think one of her teeth actually got me,” Peridot winced, pulling up the bottom of her pant leg to inspect the site of the bite. “I’m bleeding- ow, yeah, she got me.”

“ _Malaki_ ,” Lapis scolded her daughter, holding her close to her chest. “We don’t bite. Not family at least.” She gave a smug look at Peridot.

Peridot huffed. “Ah, yes, my Kaiju girlfriend and her baby that hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you.”

“It feels like she does!” Peridot pouted.

“I already have one baby, I don’t want you to be my second baby.”

Peridot crossed her arms, catching on to the insult. “Touché, Lapis. Touché…”

  


* * *

  
  
  


“I’ve never seen your actual… you know,” Peridot raised her shoulders. “Your form?”

“You’re lucky.” Lapis gave Malaki a small piece of salmon, sitting at the dinner table with the young Kaiju on a chair.

“What does it look like?”

“Blue,” Lapis deadpanned.

“Well, obviously,” Peridot scoffed. She sat down next to Lapis, watching Malaki snap at the salmon chunk. “Do you look like her?”

Lapis shook her head.

“Something with sails and those whiskers…” Peridot created an air gesture of whiskers on her face using her fingers. “Does it hurt to transform?”

“Only the first few times. I thought I was going to die.”

“How did you know you could do that?”

Lapis shrugged. “Just did.”

Peridot wiggled a finger in front of Malaki. “Interesting…”

“Peridot, she’s going to-“ Lapis paused, watching as her daughter clamped her mouth down on Peridot’s finger. “... Called it.”

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Peridot was pretty alright with a baby in the house- even if she was a Kaiju. And even when Malaki would bite her over and over again during her teething episodes, Lapis would still find Peridot trying to show Malaki some of her projects or have the young Kaiju wrapped in a blanket to sleep beside her as she worked.

“You’ve got a soft spot,” Lapis called the mechanic out, approaching the two. Peridot’s main workplace had been moved into the main room of the house since the lower garage was turned into a place for her and her daughter. Peridot didn’t seem to mind it. She made do and made adjustments where necessary. 

“I do not,” Peridot denied, Malaki slumbering away on top of a pillow underneath her chair.

“It’s fine if you do,” Lapis smiled. She pulled up a chair beside Peridot. “What are you making?”

“Technically it’s a prototype- it’s the inner mechanisms for a Robonoid.”

“Wow. You’ve been making those for a while,” Lapis commented. 

“It’s a process…” Peridot murmured. “Once I get it right though, they’ll be on the shelves everywhere!”

“I’ll buy the first one,” Lapis offered.

“You live with me! You’ll _have_ to get the first one!”

“That’s even better.” Lapis looked down at her snoozing daughter. “Maybe one for her too?” She joked.

“Alright, one for you, and one for Malaki,” Peridot decided. “And I’ll customize them too at no extra cost.”

Lapis snorted. She leaned over, resting her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “I never realized what a great pillow you are.”

“I do my best,” Peridot halted her work, one arm around Lapis. The pair remained that way for a while, basking in the atmosphere composed of gentle calm. Lapis closed her eyes, for a second swearing that her heartbeat had synced with Peridot’s. Then, she abruptly broke away.

“... _Hide_ ,” Lapis quickly said, grabbing her daughter. Malaki started wailing, having been rudely woken up from her nap, but Lapis was more concerned about bigger things now.

“What’s going on-?” Peridot questioned, more than bewildered at the sudden action.

Heavy knocks sounded at the door, followed by wild barking.

“Whatever you do, keep them away from downstairs,” Lapis requested, taking Malaki and seeking shelter in the lower garage below the surface. 

Peridot nodded. She asked no further questions, doing as told. This was so nerve wracking! But she had to do what she could, and also watch herself. As soon as Lapis and Malaki disappeared from view, she answered the door. There stood two men with a dog on a leash, and their leader made up the third of the trio.

“Can I help you?” Peridot found her voice. “I’m rather busy right now, can’t you come back-?”

“Our dogs go off everytime we pass by this home on our patrols,” one of the men said. “They’re _hunting_ dogs. They’re bred to find Kaijus.”

Peridot shivered. “And? Your point is? Point is, you clods are going to intercept my work, delay my deadlines-!”

“There’s a Kaiju around here. We have a warrant to investigate, and you will comply or be reported to the government,” the leader of the group firmly spoke. “If there’s no Kaiju here, we can offer a small amount of cash as our apology. It’s a win-win.”

“N-no. Goodbye.” Peridot attempted to shut the door, only for it to be stopped. One of the people had wedged their foot in the doorway, preventing the door from closing. The dogs barked louder.

“Search her,” the leader ordered. Peridot did her best to fight back only to be thrown back against the wall by the tallest person. The dogs were let off their leash, and immediately they began searching with excited yips and yelps. One dog stalked the kitchen. The other headed for the workspace. “Harboring Kaiju is highly illegal,” the leader went on, “and results in punishment.”

“I don’t have any-!” Peridot halted, watching the dogs. Both of them found the hatch to the lower garage in moments, pawing at it and growling menacingly. 

The leader of the investigation nodded to her partners, taking over in holding Peridot back.

“Stay away from-! HEY! That’s my workstation!” Peridot complained.

“Where does this go?” One of the men demanded. He started to open the entryway to the garage.

“Stop-!” Peridot begged.

“Open it,” the leader nodded, giving the green light to her partners.

“NO, YOU CAN’T-“ Peridot endured a punch to her gut, silencing her. She slid down onto the floor, coughing a few times.

“Any sign of protesting will be used against you,” the leader warned.

The dogs entered the garage first, followed by their masters. The sound of barking became lighter and lighter. 

Peridot sat in horror. If they found Lapis or Malaki…-

It was silent.

Peridot wondered if she could slip by and somehow make it to the garage…

It was too silent.

Then, one of the men that had gone into the garage sprang up from the entrance. His shrill screams flooded Peridot’s ears, delivering a verbal, dizzying punch. He grabbed onto the ground frantically, blood pooling from his nose and mouth, his screams cutting off when something dragged him back into the garage in a snap. A noise best described to be like a body slapping against the stairs followed, then a grumbling roar.

The leader froze. Peridot had an idea of what happened, but even she was frozen stiff at the sight she had just seen.

“... Area code four, coordinates forty six east a hundred three north,” the leader reported into the mic on her outfit. “Crew members attacked-“

Someone was coming up the stairs from the garage. Peridot was unable to find any strength to go anywhere. It didn’t help that emerging from the garage was some… strange looking biped. A hauntingly familiar figure, yet also one so horrifying to view. Fresh blood dropped from its mouth, its chin slathered in dark red. Eyes of white glowed like moonlight, its human skin torn into just like the clothing it wore to reveal scales of blue in the wounds instead of blood. Its face peeled in a fashion akin to lizard shedding, showing more blue scales underneath. It stood, attention fully on both Peridot and the remaining invader.

“... Lapis,” Peridot breathed at last.

The leader reached for her gun. Lapis noticed, causing her to dash forward. A bullet was fired, hitting Lapis in the shoulder. She pushed on, and she sank her sharp teeth into the neck of the stranger. Peridot scrambled away. 

Lapis forced the invader on to the floor, talons scored with serrated claws easily cutting into the clothing that was shielding the belly of the leader. Peridot thought she was going to be sick. Lapis had sliced her webbed claws into the gut, refusing to back off until she had dug deep into the human being. When she finally pulled her hand out, she did it in a way that brought out what seemed to be part of an intestine. A lashing tail ending in a fine point wavered over the floor. Blood coated her hand, matching her mouth. She slowly moved her head towards Peridot. 

Peridot’s breath was stolen from her. She didn’t mean to, but she was horrified. Her eyes watered, body unable to stop shaking.

Lapis opened her jaws, a slithering hiss coming from the pit of her throat. Red liquid dribbled down her chin, her spit slimy with blood. It gurgled when she growled. 

“... You just…” Peridot choked out, never blinking or taking her eyes off Lapis.

Lapis’ claws shrank until they disappeared back into normal hands. “They were going to hurt Malaki,” she defended herself. “I was _defending_ us.”

“You killed-“

“In _defense_ ,” Lapis reasoned. 

“You didn’t have to do it like that!”

“Peridot, if I didn’t do what I did, Malaki would’ve been mauled by those dogs,” Lapis said. “You would’ve been killed or imprisoned, and so would I. I’m not… proud of what I did either.”

“What are we- we have _dead bodies_ in the _house_ ,” Peridot gasped.

“I know.” Lapis blinked, her pupils returning to normal. Everything and anything inhuman of her changed back to a more familiar sight. The blood remained however, making her look deranged. She gave a sympathetic sigh. “Let’s clean this up. We might need to quickly move if there’s backup.” She headed back to the garage, where Malaki’s wailing came from. She stopped for just a second. “... I’m sorry. But as long as people fear or hunt Kaiju...I don’t think we’ll ever have a normal life.”

Peridot feared this might be the beginning of something big.


	4. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the unwelcome visit.

“Okay, this might hurt a tiiiiiny bit-“ Peridot warned before she used her tweezers to pull the bullet shell out.

Lapis hissed, sharply whipping around on instinct in response to the pain that accompanied the removal of the object.

“Hey! Hey, hey hey HEY! It’s  _ me _ ! Lapis-“ Peridot ducked, luckily avoiding being hit by Lapis’ sudden flash of claws. “... This is serious. You’re starting to… to uh...”

“... Lose it?” Lapis finished, forcing her claws away. She shook her hand off, her head lowering in apology.

“Yeah, that,” Peridot agreed. She managed to remove the bullet shell without any further surprises, then she placed it on the table. She grimaced as she examined it further. “Sheesh, that’s the bullet from a .45 in the upper military circle. This thing could’ve shattered your bones or broken through-”

“So I could’ve died. But, I didn’t,” Lapis scoffed. “I’m a Kaiju, if you haven’t noticed. One bullet isn’t going to kill me.”

“You still need to be careful!” Peridot rubbed her forehead, letting out a sigh. “I’m… worried about you. I know that what you did was in defense, but… I don’t want to lose you.”

Lapis rolled her eyes. “You won’t.”

“I’m scared that someone is going to come take you away or worse! Lapis, this is serious! Ever since you had Malaki, we’ve been getting more close calls and you’ve been more erratic-“

“We had  _ one  _ close call,” Lapis corrected.

“Which is more than enough! Now that the patrol didn’t return, they’ll know something is wrong!”

Lapis stood up, rubbing at her wound. She was ready to continue her daily life, but Peridot pulled her back down into the chair to bandage up the injury and make sure that no infection would start in the exposed site.

“I know you think you’re really powerful and super unbeatable but Lapis,” Peridot cleared her throat, “if you just attack without giving things a chance to simmer down on their own, we could start a war we don’t wanna be in.” 

“Or what if things just escalate more if I  _ don’t _ do something?” Lapis proposed, staying still.

“I…” Peridot struggled to find a response. “... I don’t know.” She glanced over at Malaki, who had come running on over to her mother upon seeing that she was being tended to. She chirped, constantly on the move in small circles as she fretted.

Lapis eventually broke, caving in due to the weight of Peridot’s worry getting to her. “... Alright. I’ll try and think next time before I do anything,” she said. “But I can’t make any firm promises. Especially if Malaki is involved.” She knelt down as soon as she was finished being patched up, letting her daughter nuzzle against her. “If anything happened to her… I don’t know what I'd do.”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


That night, Lapis found herself unable to sleep. Peridot was deep in slumber by now with Malaki resting her head on her hip, and Lapis lay with her head over Peridot’s neck. It was a protective position as Lapis had learned, where a Kaiju would keep lookout over their sleeping partner or keep their partner’s neck from being exposed while they were vulnerable. Peridot had gotten used to it, as she did with most of Kaiju’s natures. The only thing she was struggling with was of course the situation earlier regarding the patrol that Lapis had taken care of.

Lapis sat up and studied her hands after she had checked on her bandages. They had the same grooves and lines as normal human hands did, the same skin, the same hair… However, even a good disguise couldn’t hide what she actually was. She was a beast made in a lab, and she had been made for war. Her instinct to attack, to rip, to tear, and to chomp were all in her genetics, her nature. 

_ “Sir, the asset is out of containment.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “That can’t-.” The scientist rushed over to the empty cage. _

_ Lapis watched through the bars of the air vents, staying quiet. She didn’t know how, but she had managed to study her captors long enough to manipulate her own body into a smaller and much more agile form; human eyes, human hands, human feet, and human hair. Her arms were bloodied from where her skin had to shrink and adapt to the new form, and her back was sore beyond relief. Whenever she moved, it was like she was walking on glass, spasms of pain shooting through her system. But the pain would be worth it if she escaped. No more testing, no more forced experiments, no more needles, no more harnesses and clamps… _

_ She limped her way through the air vent, using her nose and sense of hearing to locate where she was to get around. A thin trail of blood was left behind her, leaking down from her arms and her sides. She was dizzy, weak, and overwhelmed. But if she could find a way to where the vent led out to the outer walls of the lab or even to outside itself…  _

Lapis didn’t want that life for Malaki. A life of containment, for all eternity, always being used and being stung or stabbed if she denied orders… That was hell. That wasn’t living. The only reason that she was even here was because of human greed. People created her from nothing, treated her like a tool, a weapon, a living machine gun, and then they were surprised to find that their weapon attacked back. If they thought they could take a life and make it theirs by keeping that life in a cage under their control, they were wrong. That life can turn around and take theirs. Lapis proved that well with both tooth and claw, blood and bone. Her garden of Eden was composed of genetic code swelling with misuse and abuse. If they got their hands on Malaki, they’d further push more Kaiju or what remained of Kaiju back into a life of suffering for their own purposes, neglecting the life that they brought into the world themself.

Lapis watched over Malaki and Peridot for a bit before she wandered away from the bed, making her way over to the window. She brushed aside the curtain a tad, looking out at the world ahead of her. The stars and the moon, the buildings all around, this place for now was her home whether she preferred open waters or not. And what better place to be than with her own daughter and a partner? This place wasn’t ideal, but it was her home. For now, anyway.

  
  


* * *

  
  


“I want to check and make sure that nobody is after us,” Lapis tried to explain when morning came. She was heading for the front door, a coat on and a pair of black boots as well as a gray shirt and simple pants. 

“You could get seen by a dog!” Peridot frowned, stopping her.

“I just want to make sure we’re in the clear,” Lapis sighed. “Peridot. Please. I need to know if we need to start planning something or-.”

“Nuh uh. I say that we stay put and we don’t do anything,” Peridot voted. “We could draw attention to ourselves!”

“So I should just stay here and we won’t know if we need-?”

“If someone comes to our door, we can figure it out then, but going by yourself when  _ you’re _ the one they want is suicide!” Peridot reasoned. “What if they found you out there then come back for Malaki?!”

“Think before I do anything…” Lapis quietly said to herself. She paused, taking her coat off. “... I hate this.”

“I do too, but we gotta lie low,” Peridot gulped. 

Lapis grumbled. To sit back and do nothing, to let things lie instead of seeking out her targets or enemies to rip them apart? It was the opposite of what she had been made for. The opposite of her instincts too, which were clashing in her head telling her to protect what was hers. Whether that instinct was learned just like taking a disguise or if it had been implemented in her during her creation, she had to deal with it now. To fight back against it would take time and strength.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  


Lapis would make daily rounds near the windows of the household for the few following days, checking for any danger or looming threats while also staying in the house. It was eating her alive that she couldn’t go and ensure this home was safe. Her instinct to protect both her baby and her nest was as strong as her growing need to defend her family. She was just too protective, and too familiar with her own strength. Perhaps Peridot being there for her and providing a form of grounding being a voice of reason would do her some good after all.

When Malaki went to bed early, that was when Lapis usually paid more attention to Peridot, not wanting to disturb Malaki as babies required plenty of sleep. Or so that was what Peridot told her anyway. Peridot stayed up again working on some more prototypes for a new model she had been planning, laying back in her seat with scattered blueprints all over the floor and table in her workspace. She chewed on a pencil in her mouth, and over her eyes she wore her usual pair of goggles to protect herself as she worked. 

Lapis came up from behind, resting both palms on Peridot’s shoulders. She read over some of the blueprints then gave a sound of amusement. “What is it this time?”

Peridot groaned. “I need a new shipment of bronze soon…”

  
“Can’t you just order it online and have them send it here? That’s how it works, right?”

“Not for a while…” Peridot spat out her pencil. “They stopped all shipments for a while until spring due to recent shipping issues with metals.”

  
“That’s dumb.”   
  


“I know…” Peridot sounded annoyed with the situation. “Which means I have to go in person to buy it myself but I can’t leave you or Malaki-”

  
“I can handle it,” Lapis assured. “What if we stayed by the pool until you came back?”

“That could work…” Peridot thought on it. 

Lapis pressed her nose against the back of Peridot’s neck. “We’ll be fine. Don’t worry. We’ll stay here, and stay out of sight downstairs.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Lapis kissed Peridot’s neck. “We’ll be okay.”

“... Are you going to bite my-“

“Maaaybe.”

“Lapis! I’m WORKING-“

“And Malaki is sleeping,” Lapis teased. She nuzzled into the space underneath Peridot’s chin, giving a light laugh. “When you go get your bronze, other Kaijus will know who you’ve been with. They’ll smell me all over you.”

“They won’t eat me though, right?”

“I mean… you look tasty…”

Peridot pouted. “I love you, even if you’re an ass sometimes.”

“It’s what I do best,” Lapis joked. “Stay safe when you go out there.” She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, inhaling her scent. “Malaki and I love you.” 

There was just… one small problem though. Peridot didn’t come back after she had left, and a very uneasy feeling had burrowed itself into Lapis’ skin. 

Two days.

Four days.

A week had passed.

Something had happened, and Lapis was ready to unearth the mystery, her body ready to slice and tear if something happened to Peridot. If someone had hurt her, if someone kidnapped her, if someone even  _ touched _ her… they’d have to answer to the wrath of a monstrous beast.


	5. Losing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis begins her search for Peridot.
> 
> CW: Alludes to sexual content, but nothing actually happens

_ “Do you trust me?”  _

_ It was the first time in their relationship where they had actually gotten intimate. Malaki, newly hatched, stayed often by the pool, sleeping or waiting for her mother to feed her. She was still learning to walk, and she would cry if she needed anything. One night after she had eaten a hearty dinner, she had snoozed off, allowing her mother to focus more on Peridot. The two adults had eventually retired to Peridot’s bedroom after some innocent play and banter teasing, and now both lay fully nude upon Peridot’s bed. _

_ Lapis reached out, putting a hand upon Peridot’s cheek. “... It’s okay if you-“ _

_ “No- this is fine,” Peridot assured. “I trust you.” _

_ “You’re not scared of me?” _

_ “I’ve known you for months, why would I be scared of you?” Peridot giggled. _

_ “I don’t know what could happen during this. When I… when I was with the Kaiju that impregnated me, she started... changing,” Lapis explained. “Anything could happen during this.” _

_ “I know that you won’t hurt me,” Peridot shrugged. “At least, not purposely.” _

_ Lapis nodded. “Are you still willing to take that risk?” _

_ Peridot fell quiet for a moment before responding. “Yeah. I am.” _

_ And that was all Lapis needed. Her head moved forward until she locked lips with her girlfriend, the kisses starting off chaste until they gradually became more fierce. Peridot’s hands came to rest at her hips, holding her close. Peridot trusted her, and she trusted a Kaiju with her life. Peridot was willing to risk getting hurt… just because she loved her. _

“Shh, quiet,” Lapis told Malaki as she put on the backpack. The only way she could both keep her daughter close and move through the city was if she had Malaki hidden, so that was what she would do. Her daughter fit inside one of Peridot’s backpacks that she would take to work if she was called into the office, and the top clasped closed which allowed some airflow. 

Peridot had been willing to risk her life for her. Now it was time that Lapis did the same.

After inhaling a deep breath, Lapis headed to the roof.  _ I have to avoid those dogs too, _ she thought.  _ I could stick to high ground… I don’t know of an underground system yet… _

She secured the backpack that held Malaki just as she stepped outside. The night would provide the perfect cover, but she had only a few hours until daylight again. She’d have to act fast. It was a new moon, so there’d be more darkness, but time would still be against her. 

Malaki gave a grunt of retort from the backpack. 

“Shh. You’re alright,” Lapis whispered. The Kaiju checked one last time on the backpack, holding it close to her body as tight as possible. She swung it around so that the backpack was on her chest, meaning that she would be able to also hold Malaki by wrapping her arms around the object. 

Another deep breath.

And Lapis’ form began to change. The hairs and skin of her legs became blue scales, her bare feet transforming into webbed talons. A lashing tail sprouted from her tailbone, covered in the same scales as her legs. She needed something to balance and catch surfaces with if she was going to fly after all. Which… had been a long while since she had last done so. But she had faith, and she was devoted to finding Peridot, so she stuck to her plan.

One of her nails sharpened into a claw, which she used to slice the back of her shirt with. She had to make an opening for her wings, no matter if they were made of water. 

Now was the hard part. Of course it was forming the wings. Lapis focused her breathing, never letting go of Malaki. Her baby- she and Peridot’s baby as far as she was concerned, was just as precious. 

There was a bit of moisture in the air. It wasn’t much, but it was there. Lapis did her best to manipulate what she could into one compound, but the water wouldn’t listen. She gritted her teeth, a bit angry at herself. Certainly it’d take more than just some energy. It had been a while since she had last...

_ “Those wings… I’ve never seen any Kaiju with them before…” Jasper assembled together some new clothes, grabbing some from the closet supplied in the back of the sleeping quarters. Different sizes and different colors… it was a rainbow of variety for the human forms of Kaiju. _

_ “Then be lucky I’m your first,” Lapis said, sitting at the edge of her bed. She brushed her hair back, combing it down after the events of the previous night. _

_ “You’re still fine with letting me go like this?” Jasper was impressed. Afraid, amused, but also impressed. “I’ll walk away as a coward.” _

_ “And knowing you were spared, when you would’ve died otherwise,” Lapis reminded. She stood up once she finished grooming herself, having found clothes that matched her old ones. “... Well. I’m gonna go get my reward now. Thanks for the fuck.” _

_ Jasper  _ exploded  _ with laughter. “Thanks for the fuck, she says… You’re not like the rest, are you?” _

_ Lapis paused. “... No. I guess I’m not.” _

Lapis paced the edge of the roof. Malaki seemed to have settled down inside the backpack, comforted by her mother’s embrace around her. The half-transformed Kaiju stood with her feet over the edge, and closed her eyes. She took in the sounds, the scents, the entire world around her. And when she opened her eyes again, they were sterling silver. A pair of newly birthed water wings rose to their full length, then Lapis took off into the darkened sky.

* * *

  
  


She had found a few various places in the city that were considered safe for a day or a few hours to rest. Malaki never left her sight, and Lapis would make sure to put away all Kaiju attributes if she had to make quick trips around people. She discovered some stands selling fish to steal from to feed her daughter, and she forced herself to fasten all for the good of putting her baby first and focusing on her current mission.

They had moved throughout the city multiple times. But no sign of Peridot anywhere, not even a lead, no matter how many humans she asked.

“Do you know Peridot Rycloze?”

“Peridot- her name is Peridot-“

“She was supposed to be home already but she hasn’t-“

Nobody knew a thing. People may nod or say they recognized the name but only because of Peridot’s creations, and not her whereabouts. It was hopeless. Infuriating. Lapis often found herself returning to her hideouts empty-handed. Even Malaki could sense something was amiss, as she would whine or paw at her mother’s arms as they rested.

“... Where are you?” Lapis mumbled. Growing impatient, she wished that she could just turn full Kaiju and demand Peridot’s whereabouts by brute force. But that’d get her killed. As Peridot said, she’d have to be careful. She’d have to be smart and also always on guard especially with Malaki. 

One evening, Lapis passed by a protest. It was a social gathering of humans calling for Kaiju justice. Most other humans called them hippies or tree-huggers, vegans or whatnot as Lapis had heard in her years. Whether those terms were accurate was debatable. 

“They have lives too!”

“Kaiju are living beings and deserve the same respect!”

“You made them! And now you must look after them!”

“Poaching Kaiju should be like poaching endangered species- illegal’!”

Lapis agreed with most statements. And as she paved her way through the protest blocking the street, she drew no attention to herself, even with Malaki in the backpack.

“Abolish Kaiju creation! End the abuse!”

“Save the Kaiju!”

“Kaiju are not war weapons!”

Lapis managed to weave her way safely on through, and by the time night fell, she had found yet another place to rest in until they’d start moving again. It wasn’t fancy, just a spot deep in an alleyway far away from people. She let Malaki poke her head out of the backpack for some more air, always watching her. 

_ Where are you…? I can’t smell you anywhere…  _ Lapis slumped against the floor, her daughter nestling against her chest. She had a feeling that Malaki knew what was going on, as her daughter responded to her emotions accordingly. She would comfort her when she felt hopeless or lick her face when she felt somber. Malaki had empathy, something a living creature had, and that was because she  _ was  _ living. She wasn’t made in a lab nor did she take so many tests or have her genetic code made by man. She was naturally born, hatched, from two other Kaiju, and she might be the first. She could be the bridge between Kaiju and human almost, if only she could speak.

_ Can you hear me?  _ Lapis chittered. There was no response from her daughter. Either she was still learning how to communicate, or couldn’t.

_ Peridot… where are you?  _

Lapis had an awful dream that night; she had been stuck in the lab, being tased and injected with different formulas, and Peridot was there yelling for help. She couldn’t move, and she couldn’t do anything. She was trapped in that lab, a helmet over her face that would tighten unless she obeyed. That life couldn’t be for Malaki. It just couldn’t.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


On roughly the fourth day of nonstop searching, Lapis finally ran into trouble. And it would mean tragedy.

Lapis immediately sprang awake from her slumber when she heard a sound. It wasn’t just some sort of ambience like a cricket. Somebody was  _ stalking  _ their prey. The sound of footsteps was louder now. Before Lapis could move, something shot into her neck with precise aim.

_ What-?! _ Lapis stood up swiftly, her muscles clenched and already on guard. Malaki was in danger. 

Two shadows were approaching. 

Lapis’ vision was blurring.

_ Malaki… MOVE! Get up- Malaki- do you hear me?! GET UP! RUN! _

Lapis scratched at whatever had shot into her neck, hoping to get it out with no avail. She was dizzy. She started to tremble, and she began to lose her footing.

_ How did they… who…- _

“Huh. Looks like those silent runner boots work after all,” someone spoke. “Get the baby.”

_ MALAKI!  _ Lapis started to transform without any further thought, wanting to defend her daughter. She gave a loud hiss while her fangs lengthened and her human skin melted away, scales sprouting from where skin used to be a moment before. 

Malaki wiggled out of the backpack. She whimpered before she started to run off in the other direction.

“This is too easy. I thought this one gave the last patrol trouble?” Another voice said.

“This one  _ killed  _ the last patrol. That’s why we came here silently without dogs- to get the higher advantage.”

_ What’s wrong with my vision? DAMMIT! MALAKI, GET OUT OF HERE!  _ Lapis shook her head vigorously, unable to see anything but blackness.  _ What did they inject into me?! _

“Shoot another.”

And another sharp pain embedded into Lapis’ neck. She growled, refusing to go down. As she held her ground, she breathed in, about to release a jet of steaming hot water.

“Bag her.”

Lapis’ mouth was forced closed. Chains binded her, keeping her legs and arms together. Her jaws couldn’t open. Her vision was still worsening. Her strength was weakening.

_ Malaki… please… get to safety… _

“How much would she be worth?”

“Probably two… or three grand. Blanca wants that baby though. So get that one and leave this one to die with the next patrol.”

Lapis thrashed wildly. She heard Malaki squeal.

_ MALAKI… _

And just as quick as they had come, they were gone. Lapis’ head was spinning. She couldn’t conjure the energy to keep wiggling about. She slowly stopped moving altogether. Her breathing slowed. 

_ Mala… _

_ I didn’t hear them earlier. I didn’t know they… I wasn’t strong enough… _

Lapis began to ebb back into slumber.

_ This is all my fault… first Peridot, and now you… _

Her eyes closed.

_ This is all my fault... _

_ This is all my fault... _


	6. Finding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis gets into a tricky situation in the midst of her search.
> 
> CW/TW: Gore

**Two years later…**

* * *

  
  
  


Alpha darts.

That was what had taken her down the night she lost Malaki. Darts specially made to both greatly weaken and blind a Kaiju for a temporary length of time. The formula was injected into a vein, and the Kaiju’s molecular structure would respond to it in a way that causes the effects. It was made by a woman named Amarillo. 

Lapis learned of this information from the countless attempts she committed in finding her daughter. She ambushed patrols, she interrogated with no mercy, by the time summer arrived again, she was known as a true terror. A Water Witch, just like the Ring. And because of her tyranny, she was of course banned from future underground fights. Even those not on patrol, just merely aligned with the people that took her baby away from her weren’t spared. Lapis was on a revenge spree, and every answer she got was leading her to nowhere. Her baby was still gone. Her girlfriend was missing. And she hadn’t found them again so far.

Other Kaiju also began to fear her. Her name was a scourge in the name of all good Kaiju. But Lapis wouldn’t rest, not until she at least found her baby. Perhaps this was her destiny after all- to tear, to rip, to destroy, and to kill. To do what she had been  _ made  _ to do in the end.

As she pulled her fangs back, a spinal cord came with it. The lifeless body before her was no more. It once had a name, a family, a job, now dead and mutilated beyond recognition. Blood used to taste salty, but now it only tasted like water.

“Where… is my baby?” She sobbed, her face stained in red. “Where is she?” Even if the deceased wouldn’t answer, she still asked and never got a reply of course. She had failed, and had to live knowing that back then she hadn’t been strong enough. Now that she was feared, even used as a piece of propaganda by anti-Kaiju crowds, nothing could stop her. She had a bounty over her head as well as hunters constantly on her trail. All fell at her feet, and none prevailed. They could make new weapons, new cages, new fighting tactics and new mechanisms, but they could never catch her.

The patrol that had taken her baby supposedly left her for dead. But here she was, alive, and on the prowl. They should’ve killed her when they had the chance. This was their fault. They let her go. They let her live. Idiots, the both of them.

“Who’s Blanca?” Was a common question that Lapis ended up asking many. One told her that it was a high authority, the rest either refused to answer or said it was none of her business. Private matters.

_ “Blanca wants that baby though…” _

As far as Lapis knew, this ‘Blanca’ had her baby, and Peridot… was somewhere out there. Lapis would stalk Peridot’s home to hope she’d return so that they could go recover Malaki together, but no luck. 

It was like all of the world was against her. 

* * *

  
  
  


“Porkchop. Raw,” Lapis requested as she slammed some money down onto the wooden surface of the stand. There were no dogs yet, so she had thus made her move to purchase some food and leave as soon as possible.

“I can cook it right here for you, ma’am-“

“I said  _ raw _ .” Lapis shot a glare full of seething demand. The human operating the meat stand slowly nodded, retrieving a hefty pound of uncooked pig meat for her.

The winnings from the Ring kept her alive for a while, as long as she didn’t make any stupid spendings and spread out how often she ate. She kept all her earnings in a hideaway by the ocean- under a specific dock under a specific rock where a pocket of air among the waves was kept secret. Nobody would ever find it. She had hoped that she would be able to share it with Peridot, but…

Lapis kept the bagged meat clenched in her hand, calmly walking away from the market. 

_ If you were still here Peridot, you would’ve liked seeing Malaki grow. If she was still here… I know she sometimes played too rough or accidentally bit you, but I know that you loved her. I saw the way you treated her, how you’d keep an eye on her or look at her as she slept under your chair… you’d pet her when you thought I wasn’t looking and gave her names like… _

Lapis slowed to a stop. She sniffed the air. 

_ … Not dogs… _

She knew this scent. Lapis rounded into a nearby alley, hiding behind the wall. She refused to drop her food, willing to fight for it if she needed to.

_ … Come on. Face me. _

As soon as the source of the scent came into her view, she lunged out, doubling back and dragging the source with her into the alleyway out of the view of the public eye. Lapis unsheathed her claws, threatening to dig them into the one that she had captured. “... What are you doing here?”

“What are YOU doing?” Jasper pushed Lapis’ arms off of her. “I knew I smelled you around here. Don’t you realize what you’ve done!?”

“What?”

“The Ring was shut down because of you.”

“Because of  _ me? _ ”

“You frightened the humans, you made them think that they can’t trust us anymore!” Jasper snarled. “I heard about your stupid killings and your-“

“Don’t you realize  _ why  _ I did those things?!” Lapis defended herself.

“Because you’re on a rampage,” Jasper accused.

“A rampage? Is that what they’re calling it?” Lapis sighed, rolling her eyes.  _ Of course you don’t know… _

“Know about  _ what _ ?!” Jasper demanded.

_ You don’t smell her on me?  _ Lapis scrunched up her nose.

_ The hell are you talking about?!  _ Jasper grumbled.

Lapis reluctantly backed up a little, startled.  _ … Her smell must’ve worn off me by now… of course… it’s been too long. _

_ Spit it out,  _ Jasper showed her teeth, grabbing Lapis by the collar of her shirt.

_ You have a daughter _ , Lapis told her.  _ That night we fought in the Ring- you left me with a daughter. _

Jasper blankly stared at her.

Lapis boldly stood tall, speaking verbally instead of telepathically now. “They took her away from me, and they left me with nothing. They left me to  _ die _ .”

“You never told me-“

“You never seemed to give a fuck! You never tried to look for me until now, you only seemed interested in me for my power- you  _ never  _ even tried! So why should I have gone out of my way to find you and tell you when you would’ve most likely brushed me off or blamed me?!” Lapis fought back the urge to slap the other Kaiju. “If you came here just to belittle me… then leave me alone before I make you.” She pushed past Jasper, taking her food with her. “I have a job to do.”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


_ “She’s hatching,” Lapis smiled, nearing the egg. “Look at her- she’s actually hatching! _ _ ” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ “You know, I never expected a Kaiju’s birth to be like watching that scene in Jurassic Park with the baby velociraptor,” Peridot commented as she too came to watch. _

_ “What’s a velociraptor?” Lapis asked. _

_ “Nevermind- look,” Peridot poked at the egg a little bit, seeming just as excited as Lapis when the egg rocked.  _

_ “How is she?! Is she okay!?”  _

_ “How do you know it’s a she?” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ Lapis proudly hummed. “Instinct.” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ “Of course,” Peridot snorted. “Your oh so mighty Kaiju instinct.” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ “And natural sexiness,” Lapis joked in a monotone. “Humans wouldn’t get it.” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ “Well, yeah, because if I too was pretty, then the baby would be confused on who its mom is,” Peridot played along. “See- baby ducks imprint on the first thing they see when they hatch-” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ “She’s not a baby duck, Peridot.” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ “Okay, then baby reptiles-” _

_ “She’s not a…” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ “What are you then? Amphibian?” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ Lapis went quiet. “... I don’t know what we are, honestly,” she admitted. “We’re artificial.” She began to fall quieter. “... We shouldn’t even be here…” _

_   
_ _   
_ _ Peridot frowned. The egg continued to hatch, and she placed a hand on Lapis’ shoulder. “That’s not true,” she began, “you belong here. And I-... I’m happy that you’re here.” _

  
  


* * *

  
  


Lapis had been thinking of starting to spread out to other States and seeing about if she could resume searching there. If she stayed here for too long, eventually she would receive her karma. But if she spread out, kept moving, nobody would find or stop her. She could also heighten the chances of finding Peridot or Malaki again. Yet, she could make more enemies…

The following week, she had found a new target. It was a human like the rest, wearing the same uniform and devoted to the same alliance as the people who had taken everything from her.

Lapis would take the opportunity and hunt once more. It wasn’t easy, nor was it pretty, but eventually the Kaiju had captured her prey without drawing attention. Perhaps it helped that they were located by the docks, an odd location if Lapis thought about it. There were only abandoned warehouses and remains of old boats nobody wanted anymore. So what would a patrol consisting of a  _ singular _ person be doing out here?

“I don’t want to be here as much as you do,” Lapis held her claw to the human’s throat, “so come on already. Spit it out. Who. Is. Blanca?” She leaned in, her teeth sparkling like pearls in a cove of jaws. 

“You’re her…” the human gasped, eyes wide with startled recognition. They were tied to a chair in the middle of an empty warehouse, surrounded in darkness save for the evening light shining in from the warehouse window on top. They were the next victim in Lapis’ unstoppable rage.

  
“Yeah, lots of people know about me,” Lapis said, unimpressed. She applied pressure to the captive human’s throat, refusing to let them go.

“No! No… I…  _ know _ you, know you-” the human gasped for air. “You’re the one Peridot-”

  
Lapis hissed, kicking the human aside. “WHERE IS SHE?!” She bared her fangs. “How do you know who Peridot is?”

“She was my coworker. She told me the day before she was taken-“

“You’re the farthest I’ve ever gotten with knowing where Peridot is…” Lapis triumphantly smiled. “You have to tell me where she is-“

“First lower your defenses! This is insane!” The human complained. “Do you always just take random people and torture them-?!”

“Maybe if humans didn’t TAKE my baby away from me-“

“I know you’re upset. I do. I know that you’re upset…” the human started, “but if you kill left and right, you won’t get anywhere.”

“Don’t tell me how to handle this.” Lapis removed her claw nonetheless, refusing to break eye contact. “You’re not the one who lost everything.” She circled the human, her body movements akin to a large snake. Her hair spiked, and her nostrils flared. “... Tell me where Peridot is.”

The human sighed. “You won’t like what you would hear from me. But I don’t mean to hurt you like everyone else I’ve heard that you’ve gone after.” The human showed little to no signs of fear. Even Lapis was a bit unsteady about it. “My name is Pearl.”

“I could care less.”

“Then it’s time that you  _ do  _ start caring, because I know what you want to know, and I’m near death anyway, let it be from you or not,” the human said. “You will find it sudden-“

“Spit it out.”   
  


Pearl watched the Kaiju, staring death right in the face. “Blanca is the head of the government in the States. Her headquarters is in Homeworld back in the First State. But if you go there, you’d only die before you complete any of your goals in mind.”

“Nothing can kill me,” Lapis called bluff.

“I’d say to go see for yourself, but you’d be skinned and turned into weapon material before you can blink,” Pearl spoke.

“Is that a threat?”

  
  
“It’s the truth. And you don’t like it, so you’re becoming aggravated.” Pearl wiggled a little, irritated that escape was at the moment unable to be acquired. “Peridot was taken by Blanca because of her affiliation with Kaiju. It was reported that something had occurred in her household, and she also had considered quitting her job a few months before the incident. I don’t know where she might be now, but-“

  
  
“She works in the animatronics department. Stop bullshitting.”

  
  
“Animatronics, sure. But, she also works, or worked, for Blanca.”

  
  
Lapis stopped. “... You’re lying.”

  
  
“She worked for Blanca, and she considered  _ leaving _ . I’m assuming because she was living with you, correct?”

  
  
“Stop it.”

  
  
“She saw humanity in herself, and knew that Kaiju were alive. Because of you, she wanted to quit working for Blanca, and defend Kaiju instead of secretly reporting and capturing them.”

  
Lapis started trembling. 

Pearl continued, “I work  _ under _ Blanca, but not  _ for _ her. Unfortunately… Peridot wasn’t as lucky as I am. I don’t know where she is exactly.” She sounded melancholy. “The reason I’m telling you this though is because I need to ask something of you. You’re a Kaiju. Peridot told me so. That would make you perfect for-”   


  
Lapis heard enough. As quick as her muscles tightened, she lunged, her claws scoring into skin.

Blood spilled from her next kill, staining the ground in crimson. 

Heavy breathing.

As Lapis removed her claws, she took a life with it. Her arm was coated in the same shade as her deed, reeking of death.

Silence.

She had acted irrationally, fueled by her losses and ignited by her anger. And now, as she stepped away from her victim, the sound of footsteps that she didn’t even know were there before flooded her ears. Into the light, and close to the gory scene, appeared a small human boy with black, curly hair and doe eyes. He looked to be about twelve or thirteen years old. The minute he saw what had happened, shock was evident in his stare. To him, it was probably like witnessing a demon from hell itself; unleashed, untamed, and bloodthirsty.

Lapis focused on him. She stayed still, blood fresh on her hand. This was no threat. This was just a juvenile. 

“... P-Pearl?” The boy croaked.

It was with horror that Lapis realized he had watched her kill this human, and judging by his tone, this human meant something to him.


	7. Blaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis confronts the boy, and is more confused than she is assured.

_ He’s human. _

_ Smell him, he’s human. _

“Pearl!”

Lapis stayed put. The boy rushed forward, sobs welling in his throat. She could hear how choked up he was- even terrified of the sight. 

“Pearl… Pearl, come on-“

_ He’s human. Don’t feel sorry for him. _

Lapis forced her hand to return back to human hands, wiping some blood off on her pants. 

_ Blanca and Homeworld… Homeworld… I’ve never heard of that place before… is it new? Or had it always been there and I’ve never heard of it until now? _

_ The First State... _

The boy was crying.

Lapis, annoyed, started to walk away. 

_ He’s a human. He’s part of the species responsible for everything. _

_ They took your baby. Your girlfriend.  _

_ … They made you and forced you to be a weapon. They think they’re God, and they think they can do whatever they want with no consequence. _

_ Don’t feel sorry for him. _

_ Go after this Blanca woman, and get this over with. Destroy everything that tries to stop you. _

“Pearl won’t get up. You have to help-!” The boy cried.

“She’s dead.” Lapis halted, responding.

“She can’t be dead! Pearl-!”

“She choked on her own blood, or died from blood loss.” Lapis felt no remorse. She knew that the boy was in denial over the death, but her empathy towards humans outside of Peridot for now was cold turkey.

“Why?! Why did you kill her?!”

“Her people stole from me,” Lapis hissed. “It’s stupid of her to tell me she’s affiliated with the people who wronged me. She said she knows who I am and what I’m doing. She got what she deserved.”

_ I’d spit on her too if I could. _

“Pearl isn’t one of them!” The boy mourned. “Pearl was taking me somewhere safe before the other bad guys can find us!”

“Find you-?” Lapis raised a brow. She turned around. “... What are you talking about?”

“Pearl’s a good person. She was helping smuggle me-“

“Smug-“ Lapis shook her head. “I’m done here. Get out before I do the same to you.”

“You’ll kill me too?!”

“You’re human, aren't you?” Lapis growled.

The boy paused, his eyes red and puffy from how much he was crying. “Pearl said she’d find a Kaiju to help me…”

_ I don’t have time for this bullshit _ .

“- they were going to hurt her if she ever went back. I swear, Pearl is a good person! And you… you…”

“Listen. I’m not a babysitter. And I’m not…” Lapis glared at Pearl, “... getting involved.”

Lapis left the building. She had her hands in her pockets as she stepped outside, the saltwater nearby teasing her nostrils in a luring dance easing her to the sea. 

_ Whatever he was talking about… I don’t care. Not my problem. All I care about is Peridot and Malaki…  _

_ The hell did he mean by somewhere safe? _

“... Don’t follow me,” Lapis monotoned, noticing that the boy was following her. “Go away.”

“I don’t have anywhere else to go-“

“Not my problem.”

“Why are you so… mean?!” The boy said.

“Why are you following-?!” Lapis spun around again, and she found herself in front of a strange sight. The boy- this…  _ human  _ boy, had pink spikes protruding from his shoulders. His teeth were sharp, and his hands were sharpened into claws.

_ … What on…? _

Lapis refused to take her eyes off him. 

_ He’s human. How the fuck- _

_ He’s HUMAN. _

She even sniffed again to make sure.

_ That boy smells HUMAN. _

_ What sick joke is this?! _

“I feel sick…” the boy whined. “Please… you’ve got to help me. I’m miles away from Garnet… I can’t control this! They’re gonna find me! They’re going to hurt me like you hurt Pearl!”

“Stop crying. Stop it. Stop,” Lapis was fed up. She pointed at him, waiting until he was quiet before she went on, “What do you want from me?”

“You’re a Kaiju, right?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“You can show me how to control this-“ He stepped closer, and more spikes began to grow from him.

_ What is wrong with him?! _

“Stay back.” Lapis showed her teeth. “Don’t get any closer to me.” Her eyes glittered with warning. 

_ He smells human… so how on earth… _

She gave one last sniff just to make sure.

_ Between the blood and this boy’s scent… am I missing something here? _

“... Tell me what’s going on,” Lapis demanded. “And don’t give me any silly answers.”

_ Get this over with quickly so I can go to Homeworld already, dammit. _

The boy slowly nodded, tears still falling down his cheeks. It was then that Lapis realized that the boy’s eyes weren’t red from crying, but rather by nature. That was too unnaturally dark to be from any crying episodes. 

_ What are you…? _

* * *

  
  
  


It was with very heavy reluctance that Lapis let the boy follow her to a safe place. The boy wouldn’t leave her alone, and for fuck’s sake, he had odd growths exploding from him. He wasn’t human. He smelled and looked like it but with things like that-!? 

_ … What are you? _

This safe place was by the docks, just to the west more inland. Underneath an old shack, Lapis had found a basement. She investigated the location before officially using it for temporary shelter, not wanting to get tangled up in any further messes.

“Go ahead,” she said to the boy, “speak. And don’t try anything funny.”

The boy slowly nodded, shaking. His eyes were dark red, his pupils a striking pink now. Lapis was internally nervous although she wouldn’t let it show.

_ Don’t take your eyes off him. _

_ What if this is a trap? _

_ I don’t smell anybody, but then again… they could’ve made technology to cover up scents… sounds… _

“Pearl was taking me to this person named Garnet, who is then gonna take me to another person…” The boy wiped his eyes. “She took me to the warehouse because some bad people found us… I thought we were okay… She told me to hide and then I heard some things and I came out and… and then…”   


  
_ Just spit it out. _

_ How much does this kid cry? _

“What are you?” Lapis got straight to the point. “You smell and look human.”

  
  
“I am human-” the boy explained, “- they put Kaiju DNA in me when I was little.”   
  


_ The fuck? _

“My mom died when I was born. They kept me in this white room and I wasn’t allowed to do anything unless they told me to…”

_ … A lab? _

_ Oh. He’s crying again. _

_ Stop crying. Stop. Stop it. Stop it, stop-. _

_ …. _

_ I don’t care if he’s a kid. Stop crying. _

“Don’t cry over her death,” Lapis said. “She got what she had coming to her.”

  
  
“Pearl was a good person!”

  
  
“I’m sure she was,” Lapis sarcastically replied. 

“She is! She’s the one who got me out of that place.”

  
  
Lapis ran a hand through her hair. 

“Pearl’s gone… and if you won’t help me, I don’t know what I’m gonna do... “ The boy weeped. “I don’t know how to do anything…”

  
  
_ You can speak though. That’s something. _

_ He’s crying still. _

_ … _

Lapis blankly stared.

_ Malaki started crying from where she was downstairs, her chirps echoing throughout the household. _

Lapis said not a word.

_ The sound wasn’t bothersome to Peridot, but to Lapis, it had been like a loud alarm that triggered her instinct. She immediately stopped what she was doing, her body in rush mode as she ran to her daughter. _

_ “What’s wrong?” Lapis cooed, picking up the baby Kaiju from her nest of pillows underneath Peridot’s desk. “Shh… You’re alright.” Peridot was finishing up with making a quick dinner, so Lapis held her daughter close, humming and comforting the offspring until food was ready. _

Of course it wasn’t the same noise, but… the constant noise… It wouldn’t stop. The echo, the sniffle, the helplessness and the fear…

Lapis let out an irritated groan. “... Are you telling me the truth?”

  
  
“Honest!”

  
  
_ His heartbeat is normal… he’s not lying… _

_ …. _

_ Sweet mother of Kaiju, don’t hold this against me. _

“... Alright.” Lapis settled down by the entrance of the basement, taking position as a guard. “... For now, we’ll camp the night here. Get some sleep.”

  
  
“What about-?”

  
  
“Get some sleep, and I’ll keep watch. Relax. We’ll discuss this further later.” Lapis got comfortable, sitting with her legs held to her belly.

_ We’ll talk about this later. Just stop crying. I can’t take it. _

She could vividly picture how Malaki looked; her jaws open, her eyes shut, her head tipped back with her mouth to the air, chirping and crying until she got the attention of her mother.

_ I don’t know what this boy is- even if he is telling me the truth, what the fuck do humans want now? Trying to make themselves into Kaiju now? Why? _

“... What’s your name?” Lapis asked.

“I’m Steven,” the boy peeped. “Steven… just Steven. Pearl said not to give my last name out.” His nose was runny, and his inhuman features remained.

Lapis didn’t give her name. But she continued to watch him, and gradually he did ease from his crying. As hours passed, silence shared between them, the boy tired himself out. His sniffles were no more. He had curled up into a corner of the basement, presumably to sleep off the mourning if Lapis had to guess. 

_ His spikes are getting shorter now that he’s falling asleep… _

_ Strange. _

_ Do those- whatever they are, actual Kaiju detail or not, react to his emotions? _ _   
  
_

Lapis thought about it, then made a small note about it in her mind. She scratched her nose, stopping to examine the dried blood that remained.

_ Humans took away everything from you. _

_ Don’t feel guilt for killing them. _

_ They get what they deserve. _

Her eyes wandered to Steven.

_ But this one… I don’t know what he is. And I don’t know what I should do with him. _

_ Peridot, what would you think of me right now? I’m doing this for you and Malaki… I’m doing this all for you.’’ _

The sound of Steven crying earlier repeated in her head.

_ Every risk and sacrifice I make… _

Those eyes, that sound…

_ Every person’s life I take… _

The sniffling and the sobbing…

_ … _

_ They all deserve it. They have to deserve it. It’s their fault. _

_ _


	8. Conflicting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis agrees to a possibly dangerous task, much to her reluctance after much caving in.

_ “They won’t find us out here,” Pearl informed as she led the way. “This place used to be flourishing until the factories leaked oil into the water here, making it unusable for fishing. Everyone moved to the cities, and nobody found out how to clean the water yet.” _

_ “How come?” Steven asked. _

_ “Mostly due to other priorities…” Pearl frowned. “People are more focused on fixing cities or improving them, instead of paying any heed to tourist attractions or locations outside cities.” _

_ “Oh. That’s… sad,” Steven said with a mournful tone. “Were there lots of fish here?” _

_ Pearl nodded. “Plenty. There were birds, fish, dolphins in the springtime, and sea turtles that would stop here during their migration.” _

_ “It sounds like it used to be pretty neat,” Steven commented. “I wish I got to see it before the oil spills.” _

_ “I wish you got to see it too,” Pearl sighed. “This world used to be so much more colorful before the focus was shifted only to cities.” _

Steven shifted in his sleep, unable to get fully settled down. He would stir and he would tremble, still freshly haunted by the sight that he had walked in on.

_ “Steven, hide,” Pearl suddenly alarmed. _

_ “Why? What’s happening? Did they find us?” _

_ “Something did…” Pearl was cautiously scanning her surroundings. “Quick. Hide- and remember what I told you.” _

_ “Don’t come out for anything, and wait an hour after complete silence,” Steven recalled. _

_ Pearl nodded. “When it’s safe, I’ll come get you.” _

She didn’t come back. She didn’t come back. She didn’t come back, and Steven felt like it was a part of  _ his  _ fault that she didn’t come back.

_ He couldn’t wait any longer. The talking had stopped. The sound of Pearl’s gasping startled him.  _

_ Steven left his hiding place, and immediately regretted it. _

_ “... P-Pearl?” _

_ She was there, stuck in a chair, and a stranger about her size stood over her.  _

_ “Pearl?” _

_ She didn’t wake up. She wouldn’t wake up. _

Steven’s body was shaking. He wiped his face, tears returning as he slowly awakened.

_ She won’t wake up... _

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  


Lapis didn’t sleep during her watch. She listened, she waited, and she remained alert. The boy- Steven, was asleep for a good amount of time.

_ Humans took everything from me. _

_ Pearl got what she deserved. The only good she did was blabber enough to tell me where this Blanca person is. Once Steven wakes up, I’m pointing him towards another safe place and then leaving to get Peridot and Malaki. _

Lapis stared intently at Steven.

_ No spikes… they must’ve gone away. _

_ He still smells human. How can he have Kaiju DNA?! How can he still smell human and yet-?! _

_ … What are humans doing now? Further playing god? _

Lapis was growing used to the dried blood that remained on her skin. She could always wash it off later, but in the moment, she didn’t find it disgusting enough to get rid of it now. She had grown immune to the sight and texture. The sight of blood no longer frightened nor got her attention. Instead, it rolled off her back like water off a duck. Was this how Jasper felt, fighting all those years in the Ring?

_ How many more people do I need to kill just to get back what they stole from me? _

_ It’s not my fault that Pearl was in my way. _

Her eyes never wavered off of Steven.

_ And now this… ugh. _

_ He keeps shifting in his sleep. Whining… crying… _

And now he was sobbing again. In his sleep? It seemed like so. 

Lapis did her best to ignore it. 

_ He’s doing it for pity. Don’t listen to him. _

_ If you cave in, I swear-... _

Lapis gritted her teeth.

_ Don’t do it. You’ll put yourself in a place where you’ll stay longer instead of going to Homeworld ASAP. _

_ Lapis, don’t do it. _

_ Lapis. _

_ Don’t do it. _

She broke. 

Lapis rolled her eyes before she reluctantly wandered over. Her body moved steadily, prowling even when there was no prey to hunt. When her shadow fell over Steven, he froze.

_ He’s scared of you. Just look at him. It’s like I’m hunting lambs from someone’s farm. _

_ This… fear… Is it better to be feared than loved? People cower away from me when they see me, beg for mercy and beg me to spare them. I have power. I have control. I’ll make them pay for everything they’ve ever done. This is just their karma. They shouldn’t have made something that they couldn’t control. _

Lapis crossed her arms. She let out a chittering grunt, investigating the boy.

_ Yeah, he’s definitely sobbing again.  _

She tilted her head to one side.

_ He’s human, don’t forget. _

_ Just smell him. _

Steven still didn’t move.

_ He’s cowering. He’s afraid of you, and he knows what you can do. You have power. _

But, the longer she watched him…

_ Is it even brave to have power over children? Or is it cowardice? Taking control over something that doesn’t have any power or control in the first place? _

_ Humans preyed on my daughter when she wasn't even able to fight back. They’re cowards, and now I sound like Jasper. That’s great. _

“... Are you awake?” Lapis said.

It was a moment before Steven replied. He nodded, quivering.

“Good. Because you’ve been there for a while, and it’s going to be morning soon. Get a head start before there’s daylight.” Lapis waited, but she got no reaction from him. “Did you hear me?”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Steven admitted, “without Pearl…”

“Oh, quit it. She’s just a human-“

“She cared about me!” Steven snapped, whipping his head around. Horns sprouted from his head, catching Lapis by surprise as she stepped back. “Pearl knew how to take care of me and get me safely across to Garnet, but now she’s gone! Just like my mom, just like my dad-! She was a human, but she was a  _ good  _ human!”

“... Ridiculous… there’s NO good humans,” Lapis growled. 

_ What about Peridot? She SAVED you, and she was human. When she found out you were a Kaiju, she SAVED you again by considering leaving the organization Pearl was talking about. _

_ She cared about Malaki. _

_ She cared about YOU. _

_ But that is only ONE human. The rest can rot in hell. _

“Are you going, or not?” Lapis pressed. “You can stay, but either way, I won’t be there.” She exited the basement, welcomed into the early morning air consisting of the ocean wind currents. Would Malaki have loved to see this? What if the ocean was her root calling too? An ocean, vast and wild… full of food and always free… liberating, with nothing to fear but the sharks that would become dinner themselves in due time.

_ I can still picture her face… _

_ There are no good humans. _

_ There are no good humans, because all of them are greedy and selfish by nature. _

_ Steven is a human, no matter if he has Kaiju DNA. _

Lapis walked down to the water, her feet excited to be on sand. She knelt down, about to wash her arm off from her previous sin, and she spotted her reflection in murky black waters. 

_ I don’t remember ocean water being like this… _

She sniffed it, cringing back with disgust.

_ Oil! That’s OIL!  _

_ It’s all oil! Humans destroyed the water! _

She stood back up, leaving the shore. 

_ This planet will soon be destroyed, and I’ll soon be dead if I keep walking. If I could just find Malaki and Peridot though… they make this suffering all worth it. _

It seemed that Steven had finally left the basement too. He was standing just above the shore, watching Lapis. His horns were gone, and he played with his hands nervously. “It’s pretty gross,” he said.

“What, the water?” Lapis scoffed.

“Pearl says that it used to be beautiful,” Steven nodded. “She wished that I could see it before the oil spills came.”

_ Wouldn’t that be something… _

“Are you leaving now?” Steven asked.

“Yeah. I am,” Lapis confirmed.

“Can you… if you find another Kaiju or someone who supports them… can you send them to me?” Steven requested. “I think I’m gonna stay here until someone can help me. I don’t know where to go.”

Lapis blinked. “Sure.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

_ Weird how even though he is nervous of me, and knows I killed Pearl, he still talks to me and treats me like I’m just an ordinary person. _

_ … Is he guilting me? _

_ No, it’s something else... _

“I think Pearl had a map…” he said.

_ Is this what having a kid is like? If Malaki grew up… _

“Let me guess. You want me to get you this map…” Lapis assumed. She looked at him again, which was a mistake. She saw his tears, she saw his fear and his anxiety… 

_ He reminds me of Malaki. _

_ Dammit. _

“Don’t cry again,” Lapis pleaded. “I can’t take it when you cry. Okay- look. I’ll get the map.” She met her gaze with his more firmly, and she flattened her shoulders. 

_ … He’s traumatized. _

_ … Oh no. Oh nononono- I’m sympathizing. Oh no. _

_ Stop it. Stop.  _

_ He’s upset. He’s scared. He’s just a kid… _

Lapis wanted to tear her hair out. “I’ll get the map. And then…” she heavily sighed in defeat, “we’ll… head out a bit I guess.”

“You’ll stay with me?”

“For a  _ bit _ ,” Lapis corrected. “I’m no babysitter, and I’m not siding with the humans in this. Don’t tell  _ anybody  _ about your… condition,” she told him.

Steven warily smiled. He stepped closer. “What’s your name?” 

“... Don’t have one. Go stay in that basement until I come back with the map.” 

_ I could just leave him… _

“Okay.” Steven did as told, rather quickly too. He wasn’t happy, and he definitely wasn’t excited, but he listened.

_ …. What am I thinking!? Watching a kid? A kid who is human?  _

_ Fuck, I can’t leave him. He’s a kid. He’s like Malaki- defenseless, and all on his own. _

_ … Shit. I’m getting motherly instincts. That has to be it. Why else am I going soft?  _

_ I’m going to regret this later. Dammit. Fucking…- _

_ Just get the map, get him to this Garnet person, done. You need to hurry too. Who knows how long Peridot and Malaki have?  _

_ Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit. _

Lapis scampered off back to the warehouse, enveloped in the wafting scent of the deceased. She found where Pearl’s body had been located easily, and she searched it. 

_ This is disgusting… _

_ Was there always this much blood? _

Lapis paused, her hand over the paper that she believed to be the map in one of Pearl’s pockets. 

_ Am I feeling remorse for a HUMAN? _

_ She deserved this. _

_ She deserved all of this. _

Steven’s frightened gaze flashed in her head.

Lapis shook her head, grabbing the map.

_ I better be quick, and this better not be a waste of time. _

She froze, her gaze on her hand again. 

_ … If I hadn’t killed Pearl… I wouldn’t be in this mess. _

_ Pearl deserved it. _

_ But… _

_ I can’t stop thinking about that dumb look in his eyes. That crying, that sobbing… _

_ I had reason to kill Pearl. She deserved this. _

_ So why am I starting to have these conflicting thoughts? _


	9. Traveling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis and Steven travel, and Lapis wonders if she’s starting to turn soft.

Lapis had noticed two things with Steven so far; he didn’t like her touching him or even getting in close proximity to touching, and he didn’t like eating meat. Which… was a problem, since all she ate was meat.

_The personal space one is a bit understandable though… He's still shaken up._

_If I wasn’t a Kaiju, he would’ve run off by now most likely. I can smell it on him. The fear that he pushes away, knowing he needs me, even if I am horrible, because he doesn’t know how to take care of himself._

_He trusts a_ **murderer**.

Flashes of Pearl’s body crossed her mind occasionally. The blood, the look on her face… Lapis had felt a _surge_ of _power_ and _reclaim_ when she had killed Pearl, feeling just as ecstatic as she had been killing other humans. 

“You’re a dangerous kid,” Lapis commented while they traveled from the shore to the hills. It would be dusk soon if they didn’t hurry.

“Huh?” Steven followed behind her.

_Should I rub it in his face again?_

“I’m a killer. And yet, you trust me with _safely_ taking you to this Garnet person,” Lapis said.

“It’s all I have,” Steven answered back. “I don’t know anybody else and-... you're a Kaiju too.”

“I could lead you into a trap.”

Steven stopped walking.

Lapis turned around, flashing a deadpan look. “I’m joking,” she assured. Then, she continued onward.

_I hate how every time I look at him, I don’t see his face. I see a face that I miss, a face that I want to get back..._

_He isn’t Malaki, you idiot. Get it out of your system._

_… Wait._

_Where’d he-?_

“Steven?” Lapis called, noticing that he was gone.

_Great. You scared him._

She waited a second.

_Where the hell-?_

_I don’t blame him though._

“Steven!” Lapis raised her voice.

_Maybe if I’m lucky, he changed his mind or wandered o-_

“Sorry,” Steven blurted as he reappeared from behind the hill, rubbing his shoulder. “I… I got distracted.”

“Yeah, how?” Lapis questioned.

“I got scared…” Steven admitted. “I mean, what if you are going to kill me? I don’t wanna die-“

“Relax.” Lapis gestured for him to keep going. “If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it by now.”

Steven halted again.

_Is he going to keep doing this? I’m making no progress!!_

Lapis wandered over to him. “Come on.” 

“I think I should’ve stayed in the basement. I think that’s what Pearl would’ve wanted,” Steven said.

“Pearl is gone.”

“Because you… you-“ Steven started shaking.

“Don’t do this again.”

“You killed her and-“

“Steven. I said-“

“I don’t know what to do! What if I’m doing the wrong thing? Pearl sacrificed so much for me, and it’s going to be for nothing!”

“Steven-“

“Pearl’s gone…”

“Steven.”

“You took her away…-“

“Steven. Get down.”

“You t-“

“GET DOWN.” Lapis launched herself at the boy, her weight bringing him down with her. They both tumbled down the hill, ending up in a shallow ditch. Lapis sat up relatively quickly, her body haunched low. Her eyes were wide.

“... What’s happening?” Steven peeped, his body near hyperventilating.

_He’s probably trying to keep those spikes at bay._

_We have a bigger problem right now though._

“Stay here. And don’t look.” Lapis sprung from the ditch, landing on all fours. She bolted forward until she heard the noise again, a noise consisting of rolling wheels.

_… Trucks. Trucks full of humans._

Lapis tensed.

_They’re coming for us. They’re headed this way._

_There’s a bit of yelling and other things. They saw us._

Lapis stood up.

_Fine. Come give me a good fight then._

She looked back at Steven, who was watching from a distance. 

_I told him not to-! Ugh! He’s staying there but he-...! I don’t have time. If he’s watching, that’s on him._

One truck was taking aim. That was her cue. Lapis let herself go loose, transforming into a form five times bigger than her human form. Her tailbone lengthened into a fully functional serpentine-like tail, blue scales popping out of her skin. Her hair became sails, and her face lengthened.

_Try me._

Lapis galloped towards the vehicles. She jumped, finally achieving her full form. She landed upon one truck, crushing it easily underneath her large body. She heard the humans begin to shout orders, causing her to quickly jump onto the next one, smacking aside the humans that tried to escape.

_They’re wearing the same outfits as the ones who took my baby. They were definitely after us._

Lapis snarled, her face twisted in fury. She roared, leaning over to clamp her jaws around the final truck. She shook it like a rag doll before throwing it, her tail slamming into a few more humans. 

_Not even anything new… lame._

The name Kaiju was no joke. Compared to the trucks, Lapis felt as if she was playing with toy cars. She was a force of mass chaos, releasing a jet of hot water from the pit of her throat onto any survivors.

_Steven better still be in that same spot._

Once she was satisfied, and after she checked for any remaining humans, Lapis lumbered back to the ditch, transforming back into her human self.

_Such a literal pain in the neck… I need to get into a Kaiju form more often or I’m going to get stiff again…_

“Let’s go,” Lapis waved the boy over, resuming the walk.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“You’ve gone quiet again. What, is it because I took out those humans earlier?” Lapis rolled her eyes while she staked camp for the night among some rocks. “They were after us. They were a part of the government or whatever.”

“Those were the bad guys that were following me and Pearl,” Steven mumbled.

“So you understand why I had to take them out?” Lapis hummed.

“Well, yeah, but…” Steven curled up beside a few rocks. “It still feels bad…”

“They wanted to hurt us. I _protected_ us,” Lapis shrugged.

“Pearl was protecting me too before you killed her.”

Lapis didn’t reply, sick of hearing about Pearl.

“Pearl protected me because she cared about me. Sometimes, it was almost like she was my mom,” Steven mourned. “She was nice to me, and she always looked out for me. I saw her hurt somebody that wanted to hurt us before, and I felt so… weird. Pearl has a family, but that person she hurt has a family too. We all get hurt, and I don’t like it.” He scratched at the ground with one finger. “... I saw you get super big. Then you hurt them. I heard them screaming… I felt sick.”

“They weren’t screaming,” Lapis called bluff.

“They were! They were screaming, it’s the most horrible noise I ever heard!” Steven frowned. “I covered my ears and I wanted to run away!”

_Weird. I didn’t hear any screaming._

Lapis lay down across from Steven.

_Am I just that used to it?_

“Can I go to sleep? Am I going to be okay?” Steven asked.

_Of course you are, why are you-?_

_… Oh._

Lapis realized that he was asking her if she would kill him or not. She shook her head. “I already told you, I would’ve done it by now. You’re fine. Go to sleep.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Lapis stayed up for a while, acting as guard once more. 

_If I wanted you dead, I would’ve killed you by now._

The phrase repeated in her head.

_I protected us. I protected him today. I forgot that I was even defending for him too as I attacked._

_I… I saved him._

Lapis blankly stared.

_I… saved him._

_I’m getting soft._

She shook her head before she settled down some more.

_The sooner this is over with, the better._


End file.
